Saob Cave
Pronounce that as "sa-ob", not "sawb"!
Good that they already have this signage along the highway (this is across the cave entrance)
As you can see on the middle of the three logos, they needed a sponsor just to put this signage up! As said above, the cave is across the highway (to the left of this picture). While the beach, with little day-use cottages is way behind that board, where you walk to the right, probably about a hundred meters.
Okay, across the road, they now have this clearer sign too! This is where you kind of "enter" the cave.
Oh I touched that board, the tarp is new so that the red and white "banig" looks real. It's just a printout! But that should give you the significance of this attraction of sorts. It's about the "banig" not the cave.
It is really just a path where, on the side, some women are busy and expertly weaving mats...
But all that is under a big limestone hill that extends to I don't know. For most visitors, that (as we see in the picture) is already the cave. Right and Wrong! Why? Because, on top of all those people you see on the picture (even wider), is a big complex of hollow passages between stalactites and stalagmites!
Just for your 'insider information' there is a hole or gap above that woman in white. They sometimes put a log there (a tree trunk) where they or you can climb up to the darkness of the cave system. But seldom and few visitors go up there, as this "cave" is known for woven products they do on ground.
If you are curious though, I can tell you that sometime ago (not on this visit), me and a foreigner friend tried going up there. At the mouth, I mean the hole that we ascended to, there is a hammock! When I asked, these women told me it's their resting place! Also for their kids when they come after school.
Sorry, as I always say "I am no caveman"! It's cool up there, but the darkness made me come down ASAP hehehe! Masirum! But my foreigner friend just used his phone's torchlight function, roamed a bit, and emerged on top, yes on the roof of that toilet at right! He could not jump down from that roof, so, he waded his way back in the darkness of the cave to where he came from! And I said "merese"!
Well, he did tell us that its interesting up/in there. Like there are "windows" - meaning openings or holes in the cave that let the sun in, but were high cliffs (above the women) and no way going down.
As I said, people come to this place to buy or watch them make these woven products...
That's what I did! I mean "watch" them hehe. Amazing how their fingers move that fast in the process!
Ah, let me tell you some of my notes on this cave and the weavers...
They are busy but they can talk to you. Yes they do, but don't abuse the courtesy. They are working on their craft to earn. Any interaction with you means delay on their output for the day. Generally, they are a jolly bunch, but if someone does not react nor respond to you, remember that weaving entails some concentration. I think they even count as to when a color should be up or down to perfect their design.
They have been in that cave for decades. Almost all of them just took that on from their mothers. Why the cave? Because it's cooler and wider than their houses, they easily spread their work-in-progress, especially the wide mats. The cave shelters them from the sun or rain. Many hid there during Yolanda.
No one lives in that cave! They have their own homes a walk away, at the barangay proper. Some still go home to cook lunch for their families, some already bring their lunch to this place, some have their lunch cooked by their children and delivered to this cave. At times it is the husband that delivers food.
This is not all of them. Other women prefer to or need to work at home or under some nearby trees, especially those who have babies or those who don't have family members to watch their houses. Yet others more who are in what they call "production" cannot be here as they use machines for sewing.
Why are they all women? Where are the husbands? Most men have their own things to do as farmers, fishermen, laborers etc., Some are even contract workers abroad or working as seafarers. But some of the husbands work at their "production" areas where machines and other equipment are used for cutting, sewing, pressing or attaching things to finish products like bags, wallets, laptop cases, etc.
Well, others do the more tedious and laborious task of planting, harvesting, drying, dying, the "ticog".
By the way, let me clarify... This cave is just the women's weaving area. This is not a store nor is this a showcase of the products that they have on offer. In the past, you seldom witness a sale here even for the sleeping mats. Lately they started showing some of the products here, because of us the visitors!
The "should-be" place to buy is at their display center inside the municipal hall - especially if you are buying more than one of a single kind or type. You seldom find that in this cave! They don't keep those things here. Why? Because (usually at sundown), when they are done weaving for the day, they walk going home. Alangan karay-karay nila yung work-in-progress nila, at yung display items na hindi nabili!
This cave is not also the place for you to chance upon creative styles or chic designs. As I said, this is just their weaving area. Chances are the work you see they're doing is just the base material (banig) to be created into something fantastic somewhere else! The best place for variety is their display center.
Example: that colorful banig being woven by the manang above, is part of a multitude of "same design same color" mats they have to produce. Who are "they"? Many women from many women's groups all over Basey. Their finished products will be forwarded to a "production house" where others will cut fold and sew the material into 300 pieces of "seminar kits" (bags) ordered by a government agency.
Women's groups? Yes they have been organized by an NGO and the government agencies. And they have a "federation" also with officers - those are the women who take charge of receiving bulk orders, distributing work assignments to various groups, consolidating outputs, and delivering the finished product/s to you. Transactions usually take place at their office/display center inside the munisipyo.
But these women, like above, can also make things on their own for outright sale to anyone. Those would be the woven products that do not require extra complex machine assisted processes such as mats, table or bed runners, placemats, hats, some kinds of bags, and other things you have in mind.
Oops, I saw this on my way out. This is new! Must have been implemented by the local government.
Well, I think it does not hurt us the visitors/tourists who disturb the women's normal work speed hehe!
It's almost certain, I will be back in this place again and again...
Good that they already have this signage along the highway (this is across the cave entrance)
Okay, across the road, they now have this clearer sign too! This is where you kind of "enter" the cave.
It is really just a path where, on the side, some women are busy and expertly weaving mats...
Just for your 'insider information' there is a hole or gap above that woman in white. They sometimes put a log there (a tree trunk) where they or you can climb up to the darkness of the cave system. But seldom and few visitors go up there, as this "cave" is known for woven products they do on ground.
If you are curious though, I can tell you that sometime ago (not on this visit), me and a foreigner friend tried going up there. At the mouth, I mean the hole that we ascended to, there is a hammock! When I asked, these women told me it's their resting place! Also for their kids when they come after school.
Sorry, as I always say "I am no caveman"! It's cool up there, but the darkness made me come down ASAP hehehe! Masirum! But my foreigner friend just used his phone's torchlight function, roamed a bit, and emerged on top, yes on the roof of that toilet at right! He could not jump down from that roof, so, he waded his way back in the darkness of the cave to where he came from! And I said "merese"!
Well, he did tell us that its interesting up/in there. Like there are "windows" - meaning openings or holes in the cave that let the sun in, but were high cliffs (above the women) and no way going down.
As I said, people come to this place to buy or watch them make these woven products...
Ah, let me tell you some of my notes on this cave and the weavers...
They are busy but they can talk to you. Yes they do, but don't abuse the courtesy. They are working on their craft to earn. Any interaction with you means delay on their output for the day. Generally, they are a jolly bunch, but if someone does not react nor respond to you, remember that weaving entails some concentration. I think they even count as to when a color should be up or down to perfect their design.
They have been in that cave for decades. Almost all of them just took that on from their mothers. Why the cave? Because it's cooler and wider than their houses, they easily spread their work-in-progress, especially the wide mats. The cave shelters them from the sun or rain. Many hid there during Yolanda.
No one lives in that cave! They have their own homes a walk away, at the barangay proper. Some still go home to cook lunch for their families, some already bring their lunch to this place, some have their lunch cooked by their children and delivered to this cave. At times it is the husband that delivers food.
This is not all of them. Other women prefer to or need to work at home or under some nearby trees, especially those who have babies or those who don't have family members to watch their houses. Yet others more who are in what they call "production" cannot be here as they use machines for sewing.
Why are they all women? Where are the husbands? Most men have their own things to do as farmers, fishermen, laborers etc., Some are even contract workers abroad or working as seafarers. But some of the husbands work at their "production" areas where machines and other equipment are used for cutting, sewing, pressing or attaching things to finish products like bags, wallets, laptop cases, etc.
Well, others do the more tedious and laborious task of planting, harvesting, drying, dying, the "ticog".
By the way, let me clarify... This cave is just the women's weaving area. This is not a store nor is this a showcase of the products that they have on offer. In the past, you seldom witness a sale here even for the sleeping mats. Lately they started showing some of the products here, because of us the visitors!
The "should-be" place to buy is at their display center inside the municipal hall - especially if you are buying more than one of a single kind or type. You seldom find that in this cave! They don't keep those things here. Why? Because (usually at sundown), when they are done weaving for the day, they walk going home. Alangan karay-karay nila yung work-in-progress nila, at yung display items na hindi nabili!
This cave is not also the place for you to chance upon creative styles or chic designs. As I said, this is just their weaving area. Chances are the work you see they're doing is just the base material (banig) to be created into something fantastic somewhere else! The best place for variety is their display center.
Example: that colorful banig being woven by the manang above, is part of a multitude of "same design same color" mats they have to produce. Who are "they"? Many women from many women's groups all over Basey. Their finished products will be forwarded to a "production house" where others will cut fold and sew the material into 300 pieces of "seminar kits" (bags) ordered by a government agency.
Women's groups? Yes they have been organized by an NGO and the government agencies. And they have a "federation" also with officers - those are the women who take charge of receiving bulk orders, distributing work assignments to various groups, consolidating outputs, and delivering the finished product/s to you. Transactions usually take place at their office/display center inside the munisipyo.
But these women, like above, can also make things on their own for outright sale to anyone. Those would be the woven products that do not require extra complex machine assisted processes such as mats, table or bed runners, placemats, hats, some kinds of bags, and other things you have in mind.
Oops, I saw this on my way out. This is new! Must have been implemented by the local government.
It's almost certain, I will be back in this place again and again...
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